title: Continuous in vitro exposure to low-dose genistein induces genomic instability in breast epithelial cells.
abstract: Genistein is a major soy isoflavone with multiple properties. The impact of soy genistein on breast cancer is controversial. One of the issues is whether soy genistein has a genotoxic effect at physiological concentrations. To address this question using an in vitro model, we first established MCF-10A/G0 and MCF-10A/G1 cell lines, which were MCF-10A cells exposed to 0.01% dimethyl sulfoxide (as vehicle control), i.e., MCF-10A/G0, or 1 micromol/L of genistein for 3 months, MCF-10A/G1, respectively. Chromosomal changes were compared between the two cell lines by routine G-banded chromosome analyses and both regular and array-based comparative genomic hybridization. After 3 months of exposure to genistein, the cell line MCF-10A/G1 showed loss of a normal chromosome 8 and gain of an extra chromosome 20, as well as loss of a chromosomal segment on the short arm of chromosome 9, leading to a homozygous deletion of the tumor suppressor genes CDKN2A (alias p16(INK4a)) and CDKN2B (alias p15(INK4b)). Our results suggest that long-term, low-concentration exposure to genistein may have the potential to induce chromosomal imbalances. These genotoxic effects may work in concert with other factors to induce genetic lesions that contribute to soy- and genistein-associated risk.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Pediatrics, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, OK 73104, USA.
authors.forename: Young Mi
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shihe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weihong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shibo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaohe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D005260:Female; D019833:Genistein / Q000633:toxicity*; D042822:Genomic Instability / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization
chemical_list: D019833:Genistein